HB 1263 Washington House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Updating eligible uses for the essential needs and housing support program.

HB 1263 updates Washington's Essential Needs and Housing Support Program to expand eligible uses for assistance. It allows cash assistance for recipients (previously prohibited) and clarifies eligibility for low-income elderly or disabled adults transitioning off certain benefits who have immediate housing needs. The bill requires housing support entities to prioritize homeless individuals first and those at "substantial risk" of losing housing second, while mandating data reporting to homeless management systems and limiting administrative costs to 5% of program funds. This directly affects vulnerable residents facing housing instability, including homeless individuals and those at risk of losing housing due to financial hardship.

Issues: ✓ Housing

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 12, 2026 Last action Jan 12, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Bill → Substitute Bill · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates the Essential Needs and Housing Support Program to modernize eligibility criteria and administrative requirements. The most significant change is the removal of the requirement for a referral from the Department of Social and Health Services for low-income elderly or disabled adults transitioning off benefits, allowing them direct access to funds. Additionally, the bill adds a new requirement for entities to reverify client eligibility every 12 months and clarifies that federal disability benefits are included in the definition of assistance for those transitioning off aid.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of the program by removing the referral barrier for a specific group of vulnerable adults, making it easier for them to receive support without going through a separate eligibility determination process.

ELIGIBILITY

Removed the requirement for a referral from the Department of Social and Health Services for low-income elderly or disabled adults who are transitioning off benefits and still have an immediate housing need.

Updated the description of federal benefits to include 'social security benefits or similar federal assistance' to ensure clarity for those transitioning off aid.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new requirement for designated entities to reverify client eligibility for the program every 12 months.

DEFINITION

Clarified that the program is not an entitlement and specified that it is only for persons found eligible under specific criteria, removing redundant text.

TECHNICAL

Removed references to specific past dates (2011, 2013) and legislative sessions that are no longer relevant, cleaning up the text for current application.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jan 12, 2026

Introduced

By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.

lower

Feb 4, 2025

Committee

Referred to Appropriations.

lower

Jan 31, 2025

Lower · Passed

Executive action taken in the House Committee on Early Learning & Human Services at 9:00 AM.

lower

Jan 22, 2025

Lower · Passed

Public hearing in the House Committee on Early Learning & Human Services at 1:30 PM.

lower

1 primary · 21 co-sponsors